SC directs high courts to constitute Grievance Redressal Committee for advocates

New Delhi [India], April 20 : The Supreme Court on Thursday directed all the high courts to constitute a Grievance Redressal Committee, which will serve the purpose of addressing the grievances of Advocates and Bar Associations at different levels.
"We request all the High Courts to constitute Grievance Redressal Committee in their respective High Courts which may be headed by the Chief Justice and such a grievance redressal committee be consisting of two other senior Judges, one each from service and one from the Bar to be nominated by the Chief Justice as well as the Advocate General, Chairman of the Bar Council of the State and President of the High Court Bar Association," the SC said.
The Supreme Court said the high courts might also consider constituting a similar Grievance Redressal Committee at the level of district courts.
The court said that Grievance Redressal Committee may consider the genuine grievance related to the difference of opinion or dissatisfaction because of procedural changes in filing/listing of the matters of the respective High Courts or any District Courts in their respective states and any genuine grievance pertaining to misbehaviour of any member of the lower judiciary, provided such grievance must be genuine and not to keep the pressure on any judicial officer.
"We once again reiterate that no member of the Bar can go on strike and/or abstain himself from court working," the court said.
"Time and again, this Court has emphasised and criticized the advocates going on strike and abstaining from work. If the member of the Bar has any genuine grievance or the difficulty being faced because of the procedural changes in filing/listing of the matters and/or any genuine grievance pertaining to misbehaving of any member of the lower judiciary they can very well make a representation and it is appropriate that their genuine grievances are considered by some forum so that such strikes can be avoided and members of the Bar who might have genuine grievances like above may ventilate their grievances," the court added.
Earlier, the Bar Council of India preferred an application for appropriate direction for the constitution of Grievance Redressal Committees (GRC) for the redressal of grievances of (Advocates/Bar Associations) at different levels and directions to all the high courts to constitute the suggested "Grievance Redressal Committees" for the States as well as Districts and Taluka courts within their respective territorial jurisdiction.
Manan Kumar Mishra, senior advocate and chairman of the Bar Council of India, submitted that the council has suggested various measures for controlling the strike/abstention and has suggested the mechanism of redressal of the grievances of Advocates/Bar Associations at all levels.